Armenia will use artillery and rockets to silence Azerbaijan – ministry statement

Condemning the continuing escalations in border zones and considering the international community’s non-targeted criticism unacceptable, the Ministry of Defense says its forces will from now on use artillery and rockets to react adequately to the Azerbaijani aggression.

“The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia calls the OSCE Minsk Group and international organizations’ attention to the fact that Azerbaijan’s use of artillery in the ceasefire violations creates a new situation along the Line of Contact, being yet another step towards large-scale military operations.

“The restrained behavior, which the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia have demonstrated so far to assist in the political process to settle the conflict, as well as the reaction by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and the international organizations, produce no influence on the adversary in terms of respecting the ceasefire. Moreover, they cause them to plunge into illusions about their own armed forces’ excellence, pushing them to new adventures in an atmosphere of permissiveness.

“The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia announces that the consistent escalation periodically causing human losses, as well as the international community’s non-targeted criticism and concerns are unacceptable. So to silence the adversary and to avert its actions, to that effect also assisting in the negotiation process, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia will from now on use artillery and rocket hitters, keeping under a permanent target the military posts, maneuvers, military equipment and human capital of the Azerbaijani armed forces’ subdivisions,” reads an official statement issued today.